Former U.S. Rep. Ed Case said Tuesday that he raised $138,000 in the past three months for his Democratic primary campaign for U.S. Senate, the latest indicator that he continues to struggle to attract financial support for his moderate political message.

Case’s quarterly fundraising places him far behind U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, his primary opponent, who raised more than $1 million in that period. Case has brought in more than $600,000 in total for his campaign, compared to $2.5 million for Hirono. Former Gov. Linda Lingle, the leading Republican candidate, raised $1.3 million in the past quarter and $3.1 million overall.

"We were never going to win the money race because we’re not hooked into the D.C. special interest money," Case said in a text message. "This election isn’t about who can raise the most money; that’s the problem to start with. It’s about who can fix D.C. and provide leadership to overcome our challenges.